Philippine leader raps EU critics of his drug war

Myanmar President Htin Kyaw (left) with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte in Yangon yesterday. The day before, Mr Duterte told Filipinos in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw that he will not stop his brutal crackdown on drugs and "more people
Myanmar President Htin Kyaw (left) with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte in Yangon yesterday. The day before, Mr Duterte told Filipinos in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw that he will not stop his brutal crackdown on drugs and "more people will die", until the last drug lord is killed and pushers are off the streets. PHOTO: REUTERS

NAYPYITAW • Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte described European lawmakers as "crazies", in a salty rebuttal of criticism of his deadly drug war, while vowing again that all traffickers will be killed.

Mr Duterte fired his broadside in a late-night speech on Sunday after the European Parliament issued a resolution last week condemning "the high number of extrajudicial killings" in his war on drugs.

At the speech to a gathering of the Filipino community in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw, Mr Duterte warned that many more people would be killed in his crackdown.

"More people will die. I said I will not stop. I will continue until the last drug lord in the Philippines is killed and the pushers (are) out of the streets," he said.

Myanmar President Htin Kyaw had earlier welcomed his Philippine counterpart in Yangon as he arrived for the visit.

Yesterday, he met the country's de facto leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, and had tea with army commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing.

Mr Duterte, whose visit to Myanmar coincided with the 60th anniversary of ties between the two countries, is in Thailand today.

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 21, 2017, with the headline Philippine leader raps EU critics of his drug war. Subscribe